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The Best of All Home Hacks: Gratitude

We all play the comparison game from time to time, don’t we?

Unfortunately, we’re often the ones who lose.

You know how it goes. First, you start thinking, She’s got more than me and better than me—and probably had an easy time getting it all. And before you know it, you’re feeling depressed and desperate for an upgrade.

Our houses, as imperfect as they may be, serve a greater purpose than simply looking good. They provide needed shelter, hold precious memories, and give us a place to welcome friends and family. In many ways, your home acts as a foundation for relationships.

To give your home an instant update, choose to see it in a different light. Maybe you’ll reframe your thoughts a bit and look for evidence of love in each room instead of finding the flaws that need fixing.

With gratitude comes contentment. And when you learn to be content with the home you’re in, you can begin to make changes with a clear head.

Let’s talk about some of those changes you might want to make!

Home Hacks to Save You Money

Not all home hacks make waves on Instagram or come up when you search YouTube. But sometimes the simplest fixes can save you the most money—especially if you already love the home you’re in!

So here are four home hacks that are easy to neglect, but could save you money in the long run:

What I love most about these hacks is they don’t actually require YOU to do a lot of work. All you have to do is find someone you can trust and let the professionals do the rest. Then you can sit back and enjoy the savings.

And I’ll even make the “finding someone you can trust” part easy for your homeowner’s insurance. Connect with an insurance professional in your area who I recommend. On average, these professionals save customers $731 a year on insurance premiums.

Marci even wrote in about her experience working with an ELP and said, “Great service, and I have to admit, I was blown away by how much we saved. $2,400 per year. I will definitely get updated quotes every year now from my Endorsed Local Provider. Thank you!”

Designer Tips for Creating a Home You’ll Love

You’re in for a treat, friends. Flo Miklich, who was named Best Designer in the Nashville Parade of Homes, joins me on today’s episode to give us some incredibly helpful tips and tricks for successful do-it-yourself home hacks.

We talk about:

• Which room you should redecorate first

• How to find inspiration and create a simple, easy plan of action

•When to hire a decorator or a contractor, plus finding someone you can trust and making the most of your professional relationship

Term life insurance is a must for every parent.

Make sure your family is taken care of and

This Couple Went Radical With Their Home Hack!

When we’re hoping to enjoy our homes more, what do we do? Most of us either update or upgrade—we change the décor, or we change the house.

But Stephanie and Taylor Shivers took things a big step further with a radical home hack that totally changed their lives.

The couple was pretty much drowning in debt. Between student loans, medical bills and living expenses, they owed $142,000—which would take them 25 to 30 years to pay off.

Even the happiest of moments in their home were paired with an undercurrent of fear, anxiety and hopelessness related to debt. You can imagine, right?

I sit down with Stephanie and Taylor to understand what this situation meant for each of them as individuals and how it affected their marriage. And then, of course, we get to the good part . . .

A debt payment plan like no other

A little bit of research and a meeting with a financial coach prompted one big idea: Sell the house. And not for the purpose of buying a new one. Nope.

Just sell the house, pay off as much debt as possible, and then rent a home. Talk about radical!

You’re dying to know how it went down, aren’t you? I was too! I’ll give you the basics here, but you need to tune into the show for all the exciting details. Ready for some numbers?

• Their house sold in under 24 hours.

• They accepted an offer at $5,000 over the asking price.

• They left closing with more than $100,000 in their bank account.

In one fell swoop Stephanie and Taylor wiped out all but $37,000 in debt. And they plan to pay the remainder off in just two years. Incredible! But that wasn’t the only benefit of their decision . . .

Paying off debt means so much more than just paying off debt

The numbers are amazing, but it’s not just about the numbers. Not even close.

Remember the fear, hopelessness and anxiety Stephanie and Taylor experienced before paying off their debt? This is what life looks like for the Shivers family now:

•They feel hopeful and excited for the future.

•They take great comfort in the fact that their kids will never know the stress of debt.

•They know their monthly budget is both manageable and a powerful tool.

You know what’s even better? After they sold their home, they found a rental that beats their old place in just about every way. It’s nicer, it’s more spacious, and it has a playroom for the kids! Unreal.

If you’re thinking about making a huge step toward life-change just like Stephanie and Taylor, I encourage you to contact a local real estate professional who I recommend. On average, they get their clients $4,950 more at closing, and the homes they list are only on the market for 10 days! Don’t wait to kick your debt to the curb!

She Works Hard Saving Money

And, as always, the best part of the show is hearing from all of you! I keep seeing SO MANY great money-saving stories! Share yours on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with the hashtag #sheworkshardsavingmoney.

Here are a couple home-related posts featured on today’s show:

“Took down two walls, hardwood floors installed through the whole house, stoned the fireplace, and stained the cabinets! All cash flowed—no debt!” — Angela

“Little patio heaven. Under $100. Made possible because I’m debt-free. I plan to do yoga and drink a lot of coffee out here.” — Go Budget Girl

Share your story so we can celebrate with you!

Thanks again for watching and remember: Take control of your money and create a life you love.

Zander Insurance pays the producer of this show, The Lampo Group, LLC, advertising fees for mentioning their services in our programing. Advertising fees are not based upon particular insurance products sales or business transacted between any consumer and Zander Insurance.